The invention relates to vehicles in general and in particular to a fluid dispensing arrangement for use with a vehicle and a skid pan for protection of a device coupled to a vehicle.
Prior art vehicles utilizing fluid dispensing devices typically have been in fire fighting vehicles having aerial lifts and fluid nozzles on an outer end of a boom mechanism. Typically, the booms are mounted on the top side of the vehicle at about its midsection. The boom then articulates or telescopes to various positions which can include in front of the vehicle. Prior art arrangements also include a bumper mounted fluid dispensing nozzle that is mounted on a telescoping boom coupled to the front of a fire vehicle or fixed on the front bumper of the vehicle.
The prior art arrangements do not provide any protection for the nozzle arrangements that are mounted at the end of the booms nor do the prior art arrangements allow for convenient, close placement of the nozzle to a fire source or work area. The geometry of the booms and their locations on the fire fighting vehicle necessitates certain height restrictions in order for the boom to obtain the proper angle with respect to the nozzle placement and the work area.
An airport fire fighting vehicle must comply with certain requirements published by the National Fire Protection Agency and the Federal Aviation Administration. One such requirement is that the approach and departure angle of the vehicle (as defined by such agencies) must be a minimum of 30 degrees and that equipment must be clear of the approach angle area.
Thus, there is a need for a fluid dispensing arrangement for use with a vehicle, particularly a fire fighting vehicle that will allow a nozzle assembly to be in close proximity to a fire source or work area without height restrictions. There is further need for a skid pan for use with a multi-wheel vehicle to protect a device coupled to the vehicle particularly in an under-vehicle volume. There is a further need for a fire fighting vehicle that maintains a clear approach and departure angle but with the capability of exposing equipment within the approach and departure angle area.